September 30, 2015

[Photo of Venus Envy sex-shop from YELP]

A sex shop in Ottawa named “Venus Envy” was hit with a fine today for selling a dangerous “chest binder” to a teenage girl who wanted to hide her breasts. The devices are used by adult transgender women who want to appear male. Chest Binders cause the breakdown of breast tissue over time by compressing the ribcage, much like corsets did in times of old.

[Photo showing effects of Chest Binder on FTM transgender user]

They can also cause disability and death. The Top 8 Chest Binding Dangers according to FTM website The Art of Transition:

Small vessel damage and tissue injury

Bruising and fracturing of ribs

Lung Collapse

Spinal (back) problems

Low blood flow to the heart (could result in a heart attack)

decreased lung compacity (lungs only functioning to 30 and 40 %)

Decreased blood flow in the lymph nodes in the breast area. This could cause clots, damage to your circulation and lead to lymphatic cancer due to the bacteria build up and clogging of the lymph-nodes.

There have been reports about clots, blood clots and lack or circulation causing numbness and permanent loss of sensation in the breast/chest area.

[Graphic from Art of Trans website]

The Ottawa Citizen reports that the Venus Envy store was reported to authorities by the parent of a youth discovered wearing the device:

“Under city bylaws, Venus Envy is licensed as an adult store and can’t serve people under 18. Even though there is a demand for products that help transgender youth affirm their gender identity, teens can’t enter the store to buy the products. It’s even unclear if those under 18 can enter the store and make a purchase if a parent or guardian is present.

Venus Envy owner Shelley Taylor says a bylaw officer told her the complainant was a parent.

Taylor says her store is the only one in Ottawa that sells products like binders and gaffs, a belt-like garment used to smooth the genital area. On an average Saturday, Taylor and her staff sell three or four gaffs and between six and eight binders.

“Do you need to have fake ID to buy something that confirms your gender? That’s good for your emotional and mental health?” asks Taylor. “Our goal is to make people comfortable and offer good service.”

Taylor believes a lot of young people come to the store because few teens have credit cards and can order online, or fear having something mailed to their home. Other teens come with their parents.”

While Taylor freely admits to knowingly allowing under-age shoppers to enter and purchase items from the adults-only sex shop, many other adults in the transgender community seek to bypass parental consent and provide these dangerous binders directly to children. Jenn Burleton’s TransActiveGenderCenter in Portland ships them out free to children in unmarked brown paper wrappers if their otherwise supportive parents have restricted their use out of safety concerns. This includes children with asthma, diabetes, and other health issues.

“Taylor has reluctantly placed a sign on the front door of the store saying customers under the age of 18 aren’t permitted in the store. She has spoken to staff at city hall, and isn’t optimistic the bylaw will change anytime soon.

Ideally, these products would be available to teens in a non-sexual environment, she says. There are some solutions to this, including running a pop-up store at another location. Kind, which already runs a “freecycle” clothing swap, is considering whether it can offer temporary space.

Meanwhile, supporters have been sending messages to Taylor with suggestions. Some have offered to buy these garments on behalf of teens who want them.

“At the very least, maybe we could organize, so if a youth goes in to buy a binder, one of us adults can pay for it, so the kid’s name is not on the bill,” read one Facebook response.

Taylor has asked the city bylaw office if teens accompanied by a parent or guardian can shop at the store. She has had no response so far.”

(The importance of spelling and being fully awake while using the internet. For anyone who has been wondering what the male equivalent of the “stp” devices for women are, behold if you dare: castlesupplys-DOT-com (there used to be a castlesupplies.com that sold plumbing supplies)

Just in case it needs to be said, some things cannot be unseen.)

it needs to be said gently and with love, obviously, but the help some people need is mental, not physical/surgical

“Castle Supply Vee-String™ products hide the male genitalia with an ultra-realistic appearance fulfilling your feminine illusion. Large vaginal opening for easy penetration. Each of the Vee-Strings can fit a waist sizes of 24 to 50+ inches. Each product provides different characteristics, from allowing you to urinate while sitting, to vaginal sheaths for sexual pleasure, to clitoral simulation using the head of your penis as your clitoris! Each of the Vee-Strings are custom made 100% by hand with no machinery involved. They are made with pride in the USA.”

I was wondering if these were going to be like flat codpieces that did something comparable to the lady-peens as a binder does to a female body. How naïve of me.

They have a ‘menstrual kit’ mentioned in several places but seem to no longer be selling it, since I couldn’t find an actual link. I would be interested to see what that consists of. The Testimonials section was an enlightening read, though. Once again, I am struck by these guys’ twisted perception of female urination and their obsession with the “humiliation” of sitting down to pee. Definitely want them in the stall next to me!

OMG, my breath caught in my throat when I saw the photo of the woman’s injured breasts. This is self-harm due to hatred of one’s body. This is horrible to see. I can’t believe that wearing a harmful device that causes physical injury is being promoted as something that helps women to “be themselves.” Have we gone back to the 19th century? My heart breaks for these women. May they all find radical feminism!

Just a wee correction. Foot binding was a Chinese practice for women of a certain class (the deformed feet were viewed fetishistically by men). And it was extremely anti-woman as is chest binding. You will never convince someone whose brain is so diseased, whose person is so self-hating, that biology is immutable and must be accepted to live a meaningful life.

Prediction from a person stuck living in the Orwellian nightmare place called Canada (I had no choice as my mother was a citizen here when she gave birth to me 60 years ago and by the time I realized what was really happening here, I was too old and not rich enough to get the fuck out!):

Within one month (at most) the mother who complained will be named in public, drawn and quartered on the internet, put to the rack and punished by the (anti-human) Ontario Human Rights Commission (tribunal) for hate crimes against the transgendered and have her entire life eviscerated. The left-wing goon squad media which is all but one paper in Canada, will go apeshit ripping this hater criminal to shreds until she is pulverized into nothing.

I can already hear the war cries of the knife-wielding Queer cultural revolutionary guards who rule Canada (many of their names appear over and over on Gendertender though no Canadian can name any of them because they can do to any citizen what are about to do to this poor mother from the article — have the anti-Human Rights Gestapo destroy us legally and financially hence my comment is mere abstract opinion and does not name any living Canadian human).

Countdown to the Canadian Queer “press” exploding over this, followed by the LBGTQueer media in the US moving in for some of the kill followed of course by a celebrity whose career is slipping who will cry on a talk or award show about trans children being tortured in Canada.

I live in Canada, too, and I am suffering with a daughter who came out as transgendered last year. I live near Ottawa and went to the parents of “transgendered youth” support group meeting only to find that the support was for parents who were totally on the bandwagon of medication and surgery! It was so cultish. Whenever someone’s child started hormone blockers, changed a name, or whatever there was clapping by all the blubbering idiots. It’s insane. I cannot find anyone around here who thinks that is against any common sense. I’m accused of being a religious right wing nut, but I’m exactly the opposite of that. People here are robots. They can’t think for themselves. My head is about to explode!!!

I’m so sorry for what you and your daughter are going through. I can’t give any advice because I don’t have children or been through that myself, but I will keep you two in my prayers. I’m not in any religion btw, but I like praying. It brings me peace in this chaotic world.

[–]BittrexxWestboro 44 points 4 hours ago
Seems we have a happy conclusion to this story, from VE:
What a week! I would never have expected the outpouring of support and emotions that happened when I posted our bylaw issues on Monday. There’s been a lot of tears over here at VE, both in fear and sadness, for the youth who don’t have support in their lives and for the warm and generous messages, posts, and donations that have been coming our way.
We have a pretty amazing update to share; our ticket has been waived, we don’t have to apply for a new kind of license and, if we get rid of our videos, we no longer have to have either a class A or B Adult License, which means we can be an all ages store!
As of Monday, we will no longer carry dvd’s on our shelves. Realistically, the way that people (youth included) access porn has changed so much that this isn’t a huge loss for us, and more room for books! But! If you want porn, you can have it until we close on Sunday, big sale, get it while you can!
Thank you to the many people who have sent messages, donations and chocolate (awesome!), we appreciate you more than you can possibly know.
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[–]AlwynMacomber 10 points an hour ago
And the area councillor and Mayor are now pushing for a review of the bylaw as well: http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/1001-bylaw
Your local government isn’t cool every day, but it was pretty cool today.
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[–]Musai 3 points 3 hours ago
More upvotes, this is fucking amazing!
permalinkparent
[–]NoxiousDogCloud 6 points 3 hours ago
And cheap porn!

A totalitarian dictatorship is the same whether it’s right wing or left wing — the end result is identical: Total Control by any means over people whether they want it or not and if they resist they will be made to want it (insert 1984 rat in face mask torture device image here). Haters gotta hate. We are doomed.

I agree with coelacanth. A totalitarian dictatorship is insane regardless of whether it’s right-wing or left-wing. Living in a pluralistic society means if you disagree with an idea, you use your words and construct an argument in a logical way. Instead, it looks like what’s going on is if you are a rational parent who doesn’t think your daughter should go to a sex shop to buy the new corset/new foot binding then you will be financially and socially ruined by what is apparently a governmental organization. (Correct me if I’m wrong about that.)

Some people on this post have brought up cutting. When I was in high school, I knew many girls and a few boys who used to cut themselves with razor blades. It was a cult of misery and some people would get their friends into it. Eventually, most of their parents found out and the good parents took their child to get the therapy they needed. Now the mother who doesn’t want her daughter to crush her lungs is a bigot. It’s so completely irrational. The transgender phenomenon is yet another way to encourage girls and women to destroy their health.

You know, I used to want to live in Canada because of the health care system (I’m in the US) but I’m going to reconsider. I’ve also talked to lesbian radical feminists from Canada online and it sounds like it’s quite bad for lesbians there.

City to review bylaw after sex shop fined for selling garment to trans teen

JOANNE LAUCIUS
More from Joanne Laucius
Published on: September 30, 2015 | Last Updated: September 30, 2015 8:12 PM EDT

An Ottawa councillor is requesting a review of a bylaw that licenses “adult entertainment establishments” after a Bank Street sex shop was fined $260 for selling a garment known as a “chest binder” to a youth.

The owner of Venus Envy was fined under a city bylaw that states no one under the age of 18 is permitted in an establishment where goods, entertainment or services that are “designed to appeal to erotic or sexual appetites or inclinations” are provided.

It’s time to repeal the bylaw, Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney said after a front-page Citizen report on the fine Wednesday.

“The bylaw was drafted 30 years ago at a time when corner stores were one of the few places where people could access erotica,” McKenney said.

A chest binder is a sleeveless elastic garment used to flatten the chest area. Access to products like these are considered crucial for transgender youth who are transitioning and want to affirm their gender identity. Venus Envy is the only store in Ottawa that sells them.

“These products need to be seen as health supports. They can be a critical part of social transitioning,” said McKenney.

The most sensible solution is to repeal the bylaw, said Mayor Jim Watson.

If these teen girls were cutting themselves with razors, it would very rightly be called mental illness and they’d be getting proper help. But if they’re mutilating and suffocating themselves like the above, well, we’re expected to “affirm” and enable this particular sickness. The world has gone absolutely batshit.

Why are transgender adults so comfortable helping underage children bypass and undermine their parents? How is this remotely appropriate??

They should make viewing that picture mandatory before purchase. I’d like to see what Jenn Burleton has to say about that. I think we’ve already determined he gets off on destroying the sex characteristics his male body cannot produce.

And of course, unlike the female penis, they can’t be men’s breasts despite the fact that lots of men have moobs. Gee i wonder why.

No woman has ever broken a rib or had an embolism from cloth menstrual pads but chest binders do cause such problems and are not regulated. Makes no fucking sense.

If chest binders are medical devices and they do have known health risks, then they should require a doctors orders and patients and parents should be trained in the proper use of them.

I think one of the reason that cross sex hormones and chest binders are becoming so easy to get is because medical community does not care about people who identify as trans, they think they are throw away freaks and really don’t care if their prescribed “treatment” causes physical or mental harm.

Whether they are bought online or given away free, teenage girls shouldn’t be binding. Their bodies, bones, skeletons etc., are still developing. Some women who bind have developed costochondritis (painful rib inflammation) and mis-aligned ribs. I imagine it’s excruciatingly painful.

“Jenn Burleton’s TransActiveGenderCenter in Portland ships them out free to children in unmarked brown paper wrappers if their otherwise supportive parents have restricted their use out of safety concerns. This includes children with asthma, diabetes, and other health issues.”

I’ve never understood how Trans Active “In A Bind” in Portland, Oregon has gotten by with giving away free used binders to minors. They take skanky used breast binders and give them away to “trans youth”. How can they legally do this? If a kid with asthma or some other major health condition is seriously injured or dies from one of their binders, I hope Trans Active is sued. In the video on their website, they say that they give the binders away to kids even if the parents don’t approve of their “transition”. Watch the video where the “project manager” says, “they might be living with their parents and the parents don’t approve of their trans identity…..”. They are all but saying they ship binders to kids whether or not the parents approve.

The last thing a kid with asthma needs is to compress her lungs. Their lungs are compromised to begin with. It’s just a matter of time before someone with asthma ends up in the ER or dies. Below is a post from a binder give away website. It doesn’t say if they give away binders to kids. I’m assuming it’s adults. I can imagine some teenage girl with asthma running across “advice” on how to bind with asthma from sources like this. I’ll just bind on certain days, and if I have an asthma attack, I’ll just take it off. I’m sure it’s easy to take off a tight binder while wheezing and struggling to breathe.

“I honestly don’t know how I do it. Binding makes asthma so much worse to deal with, and mine is already so bad. In addition to that, I rarely have the money to buy my inhalers.

Mainly, I just try to not do things that I know will trigger my asthma when I’m binding. And if I’m binding on a day when I feel like an asthma attack is inevitable (mainly days when it’s really cold or if I’m going somewhere with cats for an extended period), I make sure to wear my loosest binder.

If you ever have an asthma attack while binding, I cannot express enough how important it is to GET THAT THING OFF YOUR BODY. My asthma always makes breathing a labored activity. I have to consciously, and forcefully, inhale and exhale each breath. When you’re binding, that effort is easily doubled. You’re already losing oxygen because of the restriction to your airways (additional mucus buildup, inflammation, etc.), adding the additional external pressure of a binder could land you in serious trouble. When you do get it off, cough a lot. This will loosen up that mucus buildup I mentioned (which is also worsened by binding), and should help you get SOME air.

Aside from those two tips (1. Avoiding binding when around asthma triggers. // 2. Getting your binder off ASAP during an attack.), I really don’t have much else aside from the standard “always take your daily meds if you have them and keep your inhaler close”. Hope that helps.

Notice how “get that thing off your body” is in all caps? Don’t put that thing on your body in the first place, especially if you are a kid. Why not just tell teenage girls that they don’t have to breast bind? Make it illegal to sell, or give away binders to minors. I guess some 15 year old girl with asthma has to drop dead before they will do anything.

Now I want to know how to remove those binders. You know, to be able to help if some girl gets an asthma attack. (You know the scene from Pirates of the Caribbean, where Elizabeth can’t breathe in her corset? It would likely look like this, but with no one knowing that there’s something that needs removing.)

I googled “binder breast damage” and got it off a site called “helpfultransinfo”.
Dirt has more pictures documenting post-binder breast damage on her blog if you’re interested.http://dirtywhiteboi67.blogspot.com/

I saw the post-surgery photo of that same woman, and it’s just so sad. Aside from the fact of the surgery itself being tragic, the nipple placement is bizarre to say the least. And it’s not uncommon! I don’t know wtf these docs are thinking!! Think of the structure of pecs, imagine a man with defined pecs. You know how they have sort of lower, off to the side nips, near the lower curve of the pec? These are like, square in the middle. Up high on the chest. Not like there’s a “right way” to remove healthy breast tissue, but jesus it’s so fucking sad and, yes, botched looking.

A lot of those fantasy stories/films take place in cultures or situations that have people wearing a lot of layers or heavy clothing. The more layers you have on, the easier it is to hide your figure, so you might only need something along the level of a sports bra, or nothing at all. Once you’ve reached the level of androgynous, all you have to do is stand next to a lot of men and look like you belong (the tricky part).

What I wonder about is the mentions of “binding” in those books. Which implies they somehow flatten their breast. Considering that I get mysterious breast pains even from wearing bras that seem to fit (maybe a bit too tight) I really don’t want to imagine how that would pain a woman who tries to pass as man.

It’s hard not to be pessimistic about the future. All if the twisted and perverted things that ownership previously imposed upon people by force, they have now just convinced people are something that they should want.

For the most part we have focused on the breasts in the picture. Yes, it seems they are partially necrotized. But look under her left armpit! Are those a couple of ribs trying to break free of the binder. Good for them for attempting to help this woman breathe and live. Too bad these brave ribs in their quest for freedom made her vulnerable to MRSA and other infections

….This blog post and it’s comments are vile. How can you get away with posting this misinformation???? I highly doubt this will get published into the comments but I am writing it if only so the original poster can read and see how wrong they are.

Yes, binding can be damaging if done using the wrong thing (i.e. ace bandages) or for too long (including over night, the average recommendation for keeping a binder on is no longer than 8 hours a day). I am speaking from experience here as a trans MAN (not woman, I don’t want to appear male, I am male). I bound my chest for around two and a half years before having surgery in December. My chest NEVER looked like that, if you genuinely got that from someone’s result of binding then that was a very rare occurrence and the likelihood that he was binding WRONG. It happens. When you are crippled by dysphoria – often as a result as being seen as female in the case of trans masculine people – you will do whatever you can.

I used bandages for some time. I did have issues with breathing, however this was due to the fact that I also played a full contact sport while binding my chest (it is possible but there are a lot of risks, something that IS explained a lot by retailers of binding products). I do have rib damage, but that is from incorrect binding. Once I moved to use proper binders fit for purpose I actually was able to live my life with a little more freedom.

I know lots of people with asthma that bind. Yes, it is difficult. However, for them it is a requirement for them to be comfortable stepping out of their room. The same for people who suffer from panic/anxiety attacks. It isn’t fun, but it is something they require.

Also, with reference to the comments on trans women’s Vee-Strings, THEY ARE WOMEN. It isn’t as you say guy’s ‘twisted perception of female urination and their obsession with the “humiliation” of sitting down to pee’. There is nothing about humiliation in it, they just want to pee like everyone else! It just so happens that they want to pee like a cis female to feel more at ease with their own bodies!

I can’t even reply to everything here as I fear my head is about to explode with the amount of tripe on this.

In terms of the fact it was an adult store selling to teenage trans people, I find frustrating. It seems the only place you can buy these things in store is adult shops, which then limits young people. If there was better access to trans resources this wouldn’t happen nearly as much.

If anyone wants to talk to me about this like an adult and not like some bigoted arsehole, please comment in response, write on my blog or even email me kaislifeinwords@gmail.com

You are incorrect. A trans man is male, generally they were assigned female at birth, but by their very nature of being trans (not including those outside of the gender binary) they are male. Hence when I said I am male, I meant I am male. I was assigned female at birth and tried to live as female for a number of years, but I am not female.

Trans men are male, by definition.
Trans women are female, by definition.

I have seen the v string before and i think it is a wonderful idea for trans women.

And with regards to those, if you think a standard packer is a dildo (which, by definition, can be used for sex) you seriously need to do your research. I think if they are making something for young trans people to feel happier in their bodies, it is a great idea.

Kai, if you actually read the testimonials on the Vee-String website, you would see that it is their satisfied customers who make reference to seated urination being humiliating. That is not just my interpretation of what they are saying, it is literally what they are saying. Hopefully someday you can approach yourself and other women with the same generosity you have extended to the men who fetishize all of us.

Yes, some men will buy the device for fetish purposes. There is nothing wrong with that. However, trans women who buy it aren’t generally looking for that, cross dressers may look at it for fetish purposes, but it is used by trans women for helping to cope with dysphoric feelings.

And I have no issue with women. I am a feminist. I know that other men dp fetishize women and I stand up for women. However, I am not one and therefore I, like men should in feminist spaces, do not take a leading role. I have faced anti-feminist situations in the past and been discriminated against for being female (when I presented as such before coming out). Now I am predominantly stealth in public (through my looks and voice, not through choice) and I see the attitudes of men towards other genders.

I approach women with generosity as you put it and I do the same for myself, however I do this as a male, which I am. No matter what you, as a reinforcer of awful gender stereotypes and binarist ideals which are anti-feminist as a TERF, do or say.

Dear Kai:
1) Do you mean you are “stealth” in the sense that you look like a typical woman?
2) Is english a second language for you?
3) Are you taking some sort of psychotropic medication?
4) Which do you think is the most popular name for female transgenders: Kai, Aiden, or Xander?

I am not going to answer your ridiculous questions, you’re clearly just looking for an argument and instead making yourself look more and more stupid. I wish you a good life, despite you being clearly full of self hate and likely struggling with your own gender identity, as lots of TERFs are (having spoken to enough trans people who are ex-terfs themselves). Good luck on eventually coming out🙂

Hahahaha coming from you that is comedy gold. You’ve been calling trans men women throughout this post, called my boyfriend and I Lesbians and set the feminist movement back around 50 years. And you’re saying that I disrespect identities? You must be a joker. :’D

Hi,I’m p have a couple of questions/points
1) Did you speak to any trans people whilst writing this article, and ask them how supportive chest binders are, especially before surgery
2) The photo you have shown is of someone who had clearly bought one of the wrong size or used “ace bandages” something transgender support groups stress not to do because its not helpful and harms the body.
3) The shop shouldnt have sold anything to a minor. I totally agree with you on thay point. However vunrable trans teens need love and support and if they do not get it from parents, where else do you expect these children to turn to?
4) I’m pretty dissapointed in this artical and comments. I hope that a few people do try and educate themselves towards the pain that trans children and teenagers face.

Hahaha, no. However if he was a lesbian and I was female then I would surely be all in that business.

Kai has some really great points, and I’m actually proud that he came here to challenge the misinformation you are speading. I’m sure you are probably looking out for children, but you are doing more harm then good. Please instead of writing something that is incorrect, please do some research. There are MANY medical books, and trans groups that can give you great advice.

Also are you aware that most of your views are provably going to be from theso called people you are trying to look out for, and that they are pretty horrified about this too. However views are views, and you are probably going to get a lot today, since I’ve already seen this posted several times online with the catch phrase “WHAT THE FUCK ARE THEY SAYING”. Infact you are probably some of the greatest click bait I have ever seen, so bravo on that.

Final point – Don’t expect to be on freshly pressed, WordPress may allow you to blog about anything your heard desires, but the company and the advertisers they use are extremely trans and LGB supportive

Hahahaha I didn’t identify as a lesbian even before I came out. If you have looked at my blog you will see I am bisexual, as is Tyler. He’s actually my male fiancé. Neither of us are female so therefore if you are going to assume our sexuality, at least go with something that matches our genders.

If you dont know what freshly pressed is, and use WordPress, good luck with managing this blog/website. Its always best to look at what you are using and what audience you are providing for.
Eeep thank you so so so much for looking at my blog, as you can see, I try and use a basic interface with easy to reach side bits, so you can look for things easily. Please go through it, because any views would be wonderful, though I think you will find no reference to me being a lesbian. Bisexual, feminist, mental health supporter. Never a lesbian though, shame, if I was actually female, and only liked feminine people, I would have probably made a killing being a great lesbian.

Im sorry that you feel like all this is getting to you, suprisingly beibg a trans exclusionary radical feminist, probably gets a bit lonely sometimes. Maybe you feel like the only way to get noticed is to spread such vile.

Anyway. I wish you well in your life, and adventures, and I hope your blog is a success, though judging by the content, and “donation” button, its probably not going well for you. So what I will do, just for good measure, I will post this blog around a few times. Get you a few good views, how’s that?

Lol… by the content and donation button? Yes, how silly of Gallus to provide information people want to read, and then give them a way to support her for doing it. I hear real bloggers get their sustenance purely from likes and the happy thoughts of people who pass by.

Today, was my first online fight with a TERF (Trans exclusionary radical feminist) today. I suppose that probably means I have officially pissed off every extremist group by my existence.
However usually I can shrug of the negativity that comes with online bullshit, but with this I haven’t been able to this easily.
I suppose its because I’m actually disappointed in the people, and not even mad.
I’m disappointed that a hate group, which in theory they are, uses feminism as a launching pad to spread hate. True feminism is about equality, about safety and most importantly freedom of expression, regardless of gender and find ways to find it, without violence in any form being shown.
I’m disappointed that TERFs are taking something that people are fighting for, and pissing it up the walls.
I’m disappointed that feminism teaches us that everyone should be treated as equal regardless of gender or sexuality, and I have been told today that I’m denying being a lesbian. I’m not even a lesbian, I’m bisexual for starters, but that’s not even the reason to be mad.
Feminism has taught me that body parts are not the be all and end all, and shouldn’t be used to discriminate someone. Something that TERFs are doing all to much.

I suppose my point is this. PLEASE STOP ASSOCIATING HATE SPEECH WITH THE ONE THING WE ARE NOT.”

So Kai and tcausten are BFFs, judging by the pics. How sweet. I’m sure they deserve each other.

What made me laugh most of all was when “T” (wink) judged Gallus for having a donate button. I cannot COUNT the number of trannies I’ve seen throwing up a begging site at GoFundMe (or the like) for everything from simple spending money (they don’t specify the actual need for the cash), to make up, to money for a car, because (I’m not making this up) his dad took the car back due to bad behavior on the part of the beggar (the dude in question was almost 30 years old, natch.)

Donate buttons on blogs annoy me only when the blog in question is simply a posting of someone’s thoughts and experiences, posted at their convenience. In contrast, this blog involves a lot of sheer research and deals with topical subjects that don’t wait for Gallus’s convenience.

I get almost nothing from that. No one seems to see a need to support what I’m doing here, apparently. Then again, there are a handful of women who have/do, when they can.❤ The up side is that it will come as no surprise to anyone when I shut this place down.

That being said, I too find it annoying when bloggers ask for money online. So there’s that. Maybe it’s my female socialization.

This is a problem for all online media providers, even large mainstream ones, I think. If anyone has any ideas please contact me on or off blog.

So to anyone like the above commenter who is rolling their eyes at women like me who are working our ass off, and to those who feel entitled to our free labor, I just want to say: Go Fuck Yourself. Seriously, fuck right off.

After Patreon’s recent security failure, I’m really glad you’re not on it, Gallus. Whatever us poor folks could offer you probably wouldn’t make up for being outed.

The financial situation everywhere sucks, but like we saw with that one suicidal kid who was jealous of Jazz or whoever was in the spotlight at the time, the idea that everyone can and should be making money off of not just their activism but their “identity,” is seriously fucking people up. The damage done to genderists who don’t get in on the gravy train seems to be fairly high, even if they can’t see it, even if they try to pass the blame for their own shit on to “terfs.”

So tipping a blogger on a non-monetized site is like funding a speshul snowflake who is trying to market themselves as an “internet personality”. Yeah no. As for the rest, all I can do is laugh. Like this. LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

What’s your position on women writers or media drones who receive financial support indirectly, from an intermediary between themselves and their readers, say from a newspaper or magazine? Do you think that “fucks them up”? Or just independent self-publishers.

I believe that the media likes its writers pre-fucked up (hence the “harrowing personal essay” genre has now basically replaced the job application).

Hey, I want good things for you — all I meant by my comment is that 1.) I was in an uncharacteristic “glass is half full” mood today and 2.) for some reason I wanted an excuse to talk about, gee, somehow all the Sophia Cartoonists are not afraid that they’ll be hunted down and murdered after the patreon info dump even though transwomen supposedly live in a state of mortal danger?

See Gallus, you just need to figure out a way to monetize/penalize the posting of foolish comments. You’d be a very wealthy woman. We could come up with a pay-scale, criteria, everything. “Want to comment? Simply enter your credit card number here…..you don’t have to agree, just don’t be an idiot.”
(I say this realizing that I myself would have to throw a couple dollars in the hat……)

LOL I should thank her for bringing up the subject! Thank you CB and the other two readers (one a man!) who read this and tipped me. It really means a lot to me and helps me keep going in more ways than you know. To the woman who signed up for monthly five dollar tips: Thank you so much!

I am interested in working out a sustainable long-term “fix” so that I don’t have to beg for help, which is demoralizing. If a bunch of people did the monthly low sum thing it seems like might be the best solution. Or a Patreon type thing. I’m still thinking on it. Reach me on or off blog with any ideas, and as always, THANK YOU.❤

actually, one of the reasons I read this blog is because of the lack of advertising. it means gallus may be many things but a whore she ain’t. I don’t trust sites that I want to use critical thinking on (you may need to Google that phrase ) when they have lots of screaming ads trying to sell me stuff so that the blog can make money. that leaves me wondering, how much exactly would it take to make them Change their minds about something? to push the blogger from ‘questioning’ or ‘apathetic’ about something right into ‘hey, guess what fabulous new opinion I have?!’. it always makes me wonder, what is behind the posting of this article? are they posting because the last time they did it made money? in the age of ad-click bullshit headlines I think that trumpeting being for sale may not ne what you intended it to be.

And what a kindergarten schoolyard, petty bullshit taunt btw- ooooo, you are not doing what all the cool kids are doing (which really kind of is the entire ironic point isn’t it?).

with all that being said, I am off to donate to ad free, critical thinking positive, not-a-whore gallis mag.

That awkward moment when your condescending explanation doesn’t even have a basic grasp of biological terms.

That awkward moment when you think we don’t understand or just haven’t been properly educated- when in fact, we’ve done the research, had the life experience, see exactly where you are, and are hoping you’ll come to your senses and catch up.

That awkward moment when women caught up in the gender cult come over to transplain things……. to an audience that includes detransitioned females.

We do see the pain that these kids face if they are compressing their breasts or having plastic appendages affixed to them at four years old. I’d have to say that seems quite painful and it seems like torture to be honest.

I don’t mean to be offensive, however, I DO feel the need to correct someone when they’ve been misinformed. What you are saying is inaccurate, for a couple reasons. One, puberty does not happen that early. I trust you have a basic understanding that breasts do not developed at that age and, therefore, cannot be bound. Two, if it was torture, then it would be against their will. If trans people are electing to do these things, it isn’t against their will. Again, not trying to be offensive, just trying to explain things in a clearer way.

How is making little kids were plastic penises in their underwear anything but torture? I doubt any kid actually chooses to wear one of these.

And actually yes, girl’s breasts start budding quite early, mine started at age nine, I didn’t have my period till age 13, that’s how it works. Breasts actually develop and change over a woman’s lifetime, mine didn’t stop growing till my early thirties. I’d say you were pretty uninformed about your own anatomy actually.

I would very much question this article you state the shop was “selling a dangerous “chest binder” to a teenage girl who wanted to hide her breasts.”

Do you know the make of the binder? Do you know what instructions came with the binder? Do you know if he researched before purchasing this binder? Do you even know if this ‘teenage girl’ is experiencing dysphoria or is a trans male and has no support from his parents?

Please do enlighten me as all I can see is a very misinformed article with no research apart from the 8 risks of binding which will not occur if binding correctly and safely.

Then you are severely misinformed not only could you research better but you could also talk to trans males and what they have been through or are going through.
You can research into what types of binders there are and what should be avoided. Some trans males have used various methods which can be extremely dangerous because they are not available to purchase safe binders because they can only but them in age restricted shops or only can purchase online which puts them at risk of unsupportive parents finding out.

Quite clearly your reply is proof enough that you’ve just written this on your own agenda. No research or validation from any trans related sites or other people’s personal experience.

Excuse me:
1) The information on binders IS FROM trans websites.
2) These binders are worn by females, not males.
3) There are dozens of excellent reasons a parent may not want their daughter to wear a chest constrictor device. That doesn’t mean they are “unsupportive”.
4) I speak to female transgenders on the daily.

I am a trans MALE and go by MALE pronouns he/him therefore not a lady. You just judged someone without knowing them well done.

Ok yes the 8 risks of binding are from a trans website but that’s it you don’t explain on what types of binders they are or what steps to prevent. Your selective choice makes it look like everything is bad and there’s no way around permanent damage. Which there is. See Kai’s posts they’re very accurate.

Binders are worn by trans men, FtM. Our bodies may be that of a female but that doesn’t mean we associate as female. No, we are trans MEN, female to MALE.

There may be reasons but it’s still a form of being unsupportive as it’s preventing him from being able to access what he needs to feel comfortable with his own body and life. From personal experience my parents are unsupportive because all they say is that they don’t understand and don’t let me explain or discuss as to why I feel trapped in a body I do not want.

I took the “Excuse Me young lady” out as soon as I posted it because I realized you probably weren’t familiar with my sardonic humor. I would never refer to anyone as a “young lady”, not even a young female member of the royal court, unless I was being ironical. Who the fuck would want to be called that???

“Ok yes the 8 risks of binding are from a trans website but that’s it you don’t explain on what types of binders they are or what steps to prevent.”

NO, I didn’t because I wasn’t doing a post emulating the thousands of such posts available elsewhere that are doing that. MY post was briefly covering a news event, directed to a knowledgeable readership who would be bored shitless with the type of post you say you would like me to have done. I find your criticism to be disingenuous and in bad faith. It isn’t that you are having trouble finding binding product information, rather you demand that I replicate a risk-minimizing narrative that you support politically. The TRUTH is, that ANY method of chest binding can result in the 8 negative outcomes outlined in my post. Even the “best” constrictive device worn by the most conscientious wearer.

“Our bodies may be that of a female but that doesn’t mean we associate as female. No, we are trans MEN, female to MALE.”

Good for you. That is very meaningful to you. Those are your personal beliefs. Go you! But your psychological disassociation with your physical sex is meaningless to the whole vast part of the world that exists outside of your own head. Your beliefs have no relation to your impregnability, or your likelihood of being selected as a target of male sexual violence. Your beliefs have no relation to the objective observation of your female sex by your fellow human beings who exist in the world with you. Gender is imposed on us by others, based on their perception of our reproductive sex. Not our “identity”.

“There may be reasons but it’s still a form of being unsupportive as it’s preventing him from being able to access what he needs to feel comfortable with his own body and life.”

No, it’s a parent choosing to prevent their kid from having trouble breathing and the other negative effects of wearing the device.

“From personal experience my parents are unsupportive because all they say is that they don’t understand and don’t let me explain or discuss as to why I feel trapped in a body I do not want.”

Well they should listen. I’m listening. But maybe you just keep repeating tired Tumblr tropes absent of all real feelings or discussion they just zone out. Maybe they are looking out for you but are ill-equipped to respond to what you are saying. Maybe you come at them like a trans trending faddish teen robot offering no real depth or insight. Maybe they are put off by the narcissism of your speshul snowflake identity politics.

“Female transgenders is completely the wrong wording..”

There you go AGAIN. This is not a Gender 101 site. You wonder onto here with no gender analysis whatsoever and all you have to offer is the most rudimentary recitation of unthinking, uninteresting 101 tropes. You are welcome to participate here but you are going to have to step up your game. We are not interested in tedious repetition of mindless empty gender cliches.

There is no “safe” binding. My minor-aged daughter ordered one of the “safe” brand binders on her own (behind my back), chose the appropriate size per their website, wore it only sporadically (not every day), and per their instructions. Guess what? She has a bruised rib! Those things are not safe, not even the ones that are touted as safe, and not even if they are worn only 8 hours or less per day. The safety aspect is all a marketing ploy mixed with Tumblr urban legend. Certain binder brand$ have been very cunning and $uccessful in getting the Tumblr word-of-mouth community to spread it around that their binders are “$afe.” They injure people while they take their money. Just awesome, isn’t it?

They used to bind all women’s breasts after childbirth, to suppress milk production so women could bottle feed with forumula, which of course women had been brainwashed into thinking was the best way. (Brainwashing: everything old is new again…). The binders were damaging, painful and I wonder how much breast health was affected, cancerous and non-cancerous tumours and growths in now older women. An epidemic they say.

I am not going to rant at you for using incorrect pronouns. I’m not even going to tell you why you are wrong about Tumblr being involved in this binder “scam”. I am simply going to ask you a question. What was the brand that your son ordered? This may play a role in his injury, despite ordering the right size.

There’s no difference between someone selling this to a teenager, and someone egging on a teenager who self harms in less socially acceptable ways, such as cutting or the like. (Except this example has an added “but wait! there’s less!” moment in that it actively teaches that women’s bodies, specifically, are disgusting.)

Why are binders sold in sex shops? How does this work? After checking out the strap on dildos, do FTMs stroll by the binder aisle? Or, do FTM trans porn stars like James Darling and Buck Angel have stock in sex toy companies.

Good question about the sex shops and binders. Its like the sex toy company manufacturing “packers”. But its not about sex though, only harmless, vital, life-giving gender.

So packers, binders, and v-strings are okay for kids because they’re not about sex, even though they originate and still come from the sex/porn industry? And since its not about sex, we are only gendering children, not sexualizing them? Because gender has nothing to do with sex. Only maybe sex roles. And sex roles have nothing to do with sex. Nothing.

That’s like saying since rape is about power not sex, it is not a sex crime. It is a “power” crime. Everything else from feminist analysis is being deformed and distorted, why not rape? Oh, I forgot, according to mtt’s, rape is validating.

It looks like the corporate owned mainstream media has dutifully fallen in line with the transgender talking points and propaganda. It’s really surreal and unbelievable the way that they intentionally mislead people. It’s like transgender organizations pull a string, and the lefty, more progressive and trendier than thou empty talking heads all squawk in unison.

The very title is intentionally misleading.

“Chapin: Something as simple as underwear can make a big difference to a trans teen”

They make it appear as if binders are just like underwear. Read the title. “Something as simply as underwear”. Breast binders or “binders” are not underwear. The very title of this article is intentionally mis-leading. Why does Ottawa Citizen and Chapin deliberately mislead people? We are talking about the health and safety of kids, and they are too lazy to do any research. We are talking about kids walking into sex shops as if sex shops are in the business of caring for children.

Scroll up and read all the health risks associated with binding. Does underwear make breathing and asthma worse? Does underwear cause costochondritis? Do people usually buy their underwear in sex shops? I know some do, but kids shouldn’t be doing this.

This is serious business, and if people actually think that sex shops give a rat’s patootie about the health and safety of kids, they are delusional. If they can draw in more customers with “it’s for the poor trans kids”, it’s more money in their pocket.

If a 15 or 16 year old girl with asthma drops dead, I seriously doubt that some skanky sex shop is going to give a damn. The only thing they will care about is covering their own ass.

Do you have asthma? Let’s talk about binding and breathing.

Binding is really fu### with my lungs–I’m getting a cough every couple of days and towards the end of the day I can feel it rattling around in my lungs. I rarely have asthma attacks but I had two last week and this year I’ve had about twice as many as normal. I’m not used to feeling like I need to carry around my inhaler as if my life could depend on it, but a couple of months ago my airway closed so dramatically I thought I might die. It was triggered by laughing. ### laughing! D: So, I’m starting to see that binding isn’t something I can do regularly.